Don't think that this is some film about how Facebook got big or the steps it took to become a phenomenon. No it's not, because that movie would be boring. This is a film, a great one, about the people who created it and all the drama that went along with it. It has everything you want in the type of thriller for the brain. I'm talking about tons of dialogue, written beautifully by Aaron Sorkin, rather than gunfire and exploding vehicles. David Fincher makes every scene seem like an action scene. He directs it beautifully and adds his signature Fincher touch to everything. The story of Mark Zuckerberg caught me in a trance, and my eyes couldn't leave the screen. Here you get corporate backstabbing, intense greed, betrayal, ending friendships, and an antisocial genius who created the most social networking site out there. All of these components packed into one, flawless film.
Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) is a sophomore in Harvard University, perhaps the most prestigious school in the world. He's a genius who didn't miss a single thing on his SATs. He's obsessed with finals clubs and has the type of personality that makes all girls hate him. From the very first scene we see why this is the case. He gets dumped by his gilfriend who states that dating him is like dating a "stairmaster, it's exhausting." Zuckerberg is sad, and decides to start a website called facemash, where Harvard alumni can compare the hotness of Harvard females. After the computer system crashes, Zuckerberg catches the attention of the Winklevosse twins, who rows for the Harvard rowing team. They give him an idea called the Harvard connection, where fellow Harvard students can have their own profile with pictures, interests, etc. Zuckerberg says he's in to help. With Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield), his best friend, helping him out, and the powerful Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), the creator of napster, they decide to take the idea and make their own website. I'll stop there. Watch the film to see what ends up happening. Grand theft website, anyone? Watch it and you decide yourself.
The acting is brilliant here, possibly the best ensemble cast of the year thus far. Jesse Eisenberg gives one of the best performances of the year as Mark Zuckerberg. He has this innocence about him that's hard to resist. He doesn't ever miss a beat in this film. Stop comparing him to Michael Cera. This right here, in my opinion, is an oscar-worthy performance. Justin Timberlake is dynamite, solidifying the fact that he's a serious actor. Now, back to oscars again. One actor in particular who deserves a best supporting actor nomination is Andrew Garfield. There is a certain scene here where he steals the show and it is so beautifully acted. He gives Eduardo a great amount of smarts as well as an ample amount of vulnerability, and i couldn't help but sympathize with him. And of course Armie Hammer, who plays the twins, is terrific as well.
I want to start talking about why "The Social Network" is such a great film. It's so amazingly well-made. The whole look fo the film, the pacing, the dialogue, the acting, the mood of each scene is brilliant. Hats off to both David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin for coming together and making a gem of a movie. Aaron Sorkin's screenplay definitely steals the show here for the majority of the film. The dialogue is witty, funny, and smart. The film doesn't drag you along but rather, makes you catch-up to it. The story enthralled and captivated me. The characters were so well emphasized in this film, that I might consider calling this a character drama. What each and every character is going through and how different each of their perspectives are is interesting. This is the best film of the year so far, and it'll be hard to top. It's one of those rare dynamites of a movie without using any actual dynamite. Facebook lover or not, whether you think Mark Zuckerberg is an assh*le or not, this is a great movie. "The Social Network" shows where we are in society, a technologically driven society. This film is something special.
Rating: 4 out of 4
